Participation in the Communications Accreditation Program is restricted to:

Component departments of public safety agencies that provide communications services.

Private agencies with mandated public safety communications responsibilities, whose eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis by the Commission.

Agency Size Determination

Agency size determines which standards are applicable and the program participation fees. For stand-alone agencies, size is defined as the total number of authorized full-time personnel. For communications services that are a part of another organization (e.g., fire, law enforcement, or EMS) size is the number of full-time personnel assigned to the communications function, plus one,

A (1-15 personnel)B (16-75)C (76+)

There is a provision for a "unique" agency that because of its mission, size, location, or other factors, may not fit the paradigm.

Agencies that seek accreditation are required to comply only with those standards that are specifically applicable to them. Applicability is based on an agency's size and the functions it performs. Applicable standards are categorized as mandatory or other-than-mandatory. Agencies must comply with all applicable mandatory (M) standards and 80% of applicable other-than-mandatory (O) standards. If an agency cannot comply with a standard because of legislation, labor agreements, court orders, or case law, waivers can be sought from the Commission.